Rindern, Forum Arenacum

Rindern is a small German village, at some distance from the Lower Rhine, close to the Dutch border. In Antiquity, it was called Arenacum, and there was a fort. It has not been identified, but many Roman objects have been discovered, and the town now has a museum called Forum Arenacum. It is not very big (80 m²), but documents the Celtic, Roman, and Frankish periods with some interesting finds, like a beautiful vase of bronze.

Next to the museum is the Medieval church of Saint Willibrord, built on the Frankish cemetery. The church boasts an interesting ancient inscription on which the name of the emperor Nero has been cut away (damnatio memoriae).

The museum is open on Sundays from 14.00-17.00; ask for they key of the church. You won’t be disappointed.